The Independent Film Journal (1954)

DES MOINES (cont'd.) Estherville has been sold to Central States, which operates the theatre, by the Mack J. Groves estate for $70,250. . . . For the sec¬ ond time in a year, the Ranch Drive-In west of Ames on Hyway 30 has been robbed; this time, of a safe containing about $150. A new front and canopy have been com¬ pleted at the Manson Theatre in Manson. New doors were also added and future plans call for remodeling of lobby and ticket booth. . . . The Vogue in Remsen resumed Sunday matinees, which were discontinued during the summer. . . . Pat Bruning reopened the (Hid¬ den Memorial Theatre in Glidden for the fall season. Lobby has been redecorated; the walls floor and woodwork painted. In Ames, the New Ames Theatre reopened with beginning of the college year. It has been completely remodeled and redecorated, as have the other two houses in Ames under management of Ames Operating Co. and Joe Gerbrach. Ralph Olson resigned as mgr. of the De¬ corah theatres to return to Des Moines and Universal, where he will resume his old job of selling. . . . Ludy Bosten closed his DriveIn in Muscatine and reopened the Palace, which was closed during the summer season. . . . James Heuser, who managed the RKO Pan in Minneapolis, transferred to the RKO Orpheum, Dubuque, replacing Raymond Langfitt, who took over as mgr. of the RKO Iowa, Cedar Rapids, succeeding Andrew H. Talbot, retired. DETROIT Ben Robins, former branch mgr. for Uni¬ versal, is switching to exhibition, taking over the pioneer Alhambra Theatre, a deluxe nabe which has been operated for years by the Kilbride Circuit. Ben plans to add two or three other theatres in the near future. . . . David Ivorman, independent circuiteer, and Sam Green, supervisor for his brother, Saul Korman, are taking over the Gold Coast Theatre, all-night colored house. . . . The Stone Theatre, operated by Milton Jacobson, was seriously damaged on the front when the driver of a stolen car failed to stay in the street. W. D. Campbell sold the Albion Drive-In at Albion to the Bohm Theatre Co. . . . E. C. Loomis, owner of the State at Elk Rapids, is personally taking over buying and booking for the house. . . . Bill Clark is buying for the Korman Circuit’s Carver in Detroit. . . . Stuart Kaufman has been appointed mgr. of the Booker T. by Saul Korman. . . . Harry Balk named Arnold Cohn mgr. of the Apollo Theatre, and Buddy Schweig mgr. of the Park, which he is reopening. . . . Bill Green, regional ex¬ ploitation director for “This Is Cinerama,” entered Detroit Memorial Hospital for sur¬ gery. . . . The Telenews management staff has been on the sieklist — mgr. Norman Wheaton with a broken leg and asst. Rich¬ ard Van Tiem with an emergency ap¬ pendectomy. Robert Graham is the new mgr. of the Calvin Theatre in Dearborn for Wisper and Wetsman. . . . Thomas W. Ryan, mgr. of the Rouge in River Rouge for Max Gealer, ar QUICK SERVICE! Headquarters for machine and roll MOTION PICTURE TICKETS Highest Quality Right Prices KELLER PRINTING CO. Suite 805, 723 7th Ave., N. Y. C. Cl 5-6439 Martin Levine, Brandt Theatres' executive, greets Gina Lollobrigida at a reception in New York, hosted by IFE Releasing Corp. to introduce the star of "Bread, Love and Dreams," currently at the Paris Theatre, to leaders of press, radio, tele¬ vision and the movie industry. IFE has acquired U. S., Canadian and Far-Eastern distribution rights to the film. ranged a special canned foods matinee that drew 799 items for relief of four neighbor¬ hood families whose homes were burned out. . . . Bryce Paulson, owner of the Bryce at Remus, who developed a five-piece coun¬ try music show for his stage, has become a music publisher, radio and TV producer, and recording artist manager. Exhibitors can now try fried pre-cooked frozen chicken as a new concession item. Idea was given a thorough workout by the Oscar Bank Co. at the State Fair, with 4,000 orders sold — at a buck apiece. . . . Nick George opened his new Jolly Roger Drive-In, first to have 3-channel stereophonic sound in this region and the first Detroit theatre opening in about three years. . . . Art Moeller, old-time mgr. of the Palace Theatre, is reported now running the North Pines Hotel at Mercer, Wise. . . . Son Ken¬ nedy of the Town Drive-In is celebrating his 50th anniversary in show business. Stanley Dudelson, who resigned as UA branch mgr. in Des Moines, will head up Michigan distribution organization for Hall¬ mark in the Fox Theatre bldg, here, under the name of Dudelson Enterprises. Young Dudelson inked “Karamoja” and “Half-Way to Hell” into the N. K. Theatre, Muskegon, and the Jackson, Mich. Drive-In as pace¬ setters. HOUSTON Jack A. Farr, owner of Trail Drive-In, was elected president of Texas Theatres As¬ sociation. . . . Almost all Houston Drive-Ins have installed wdde screens within the past month. . . . Bellaire Theatre advertises a mother’s matinee — starts at 12 :45, out at 2 :45. . . . Houston Chronicle sponsoring an “experience” contest. Winner gets $50 in cash ; runners-up will be awarded tickets to “Suddenly” coming soon to Loew’s. . . . Special road show engagement of “A Star is Born” opens in Houston at Majestic Theatre. . . . World premiere of Philharmonic Symphone Orchestra of New York to be shown on giant TV screen of Metropolitan Oct. 27. All seats reserved — legitimate theatre prices being charged. KANSAS CITY Ralph Gregory has joined Republic Mid¬ west as western Mo. representative. . . . Ozoners participating in a $1,386.28 collec¬ tion for polio were Heart, Crest, Terrace and 40 Highway. . . . Howard White, who resigned as purchasing agent at Fox Mid¬ west because of company age requirements, has joined Drive-In Theatre Mfg. Co. . . . Hugh Gardner Theatres, Inc. of Neosho, Mo. was granted certificate of incorporation for operation of theatres in the state. Firm members are M. Gardner, E. Harris, A. Farber and J. Rice. . . . T. H. Slothower theatre interests bought Terrace Drive-In at Wichita, Ivans, from Geo. Sproule, and will continue operation of Meadow Lark and Meadow Lark Twin ozoners and Corral Theatre in Wichita area. Lee Theatre at New London, Mo. was closed by Tom Gates and H. Geiger, op¬ erators. . . . Mac Theatre at McPherson, Ivans, reopened with CinemaScope, first for city. ... New CinemaScope installations in this area include: Plaza, Appleton City, Mo.; Nu-Sho, Butler, Mo.; Farris, Rich¬ mond, Mo. and these in Kans. : Liberty, Horton; State, Mound City; Seneca, Seneca and Dickinson at Dighton. . . . Oxford Thea¬ tre, Oxford, Kans., reopened after redecora¬ tion by L. D. Shutt, new owner. . . . Lenses and other equipment were bought for Glen Theatre, K. C. and Jameson’s Vogue at Lee’s Summit and for these Kansas theatres: Dickinson at Mission, Ritz at Council Grove and Civic at Wichita. N ew mgr. of Midcentral’s Paola at Paola, Kans. is Orlin Hall of Fredonia, Kans. . . . Village Theatre at Sunflower, Kans., op¬ erated by Paul Milberger, has been re¬ modeled. . . . Ray Miner, operator of Kesner Theatre at Leroy, Kans. for two years, died at 49. . . . Sun Theatre in K. C. reopened with CinemaScope under management of Howard Parsley, new operator for Western Assoc. Theatres. . . . Jack Bunker has been upped by Tri-States from asst. mgr. of Paramount in K. C. to mgr. of Rocket at Rock Island, Ill. . . . Local newspapers carried stories on a new song, “I’ve Been Telling Lies,” composed by Harold Lyon, Paramount mgr. MIAMI Sonny Shepherd announced that the Carib and Miami theatres are getting ready for the closed circuit showing of “Opening Night at the Metropolitan,” on Nov. 8. . . . Sam Rowlands of the Boulevard Theatre is offer¬ ing weekly trips to Havana for two. . . . Ralph Puckhaber of the Florida doing like¬ wise on West Indies cruises. . . . Marty Wucher, who was mgr. at the Town, is now Snapped at Paramount's exhibitor screening of Irving Berlin's "White Christmas" at the Criterion Theatre in New York, (1 to r): Walter Brecher of Leo Brecher Theatres; Arthur Mayer, foreign film distributor, and Mrs. Mayer; (rear) Harry Mandel. RKO Theatres' ad-pub chief, and Mary Tuttle, RKO personnel director. 26 THE INDEPENDENT FILM JOURNAL— October 2. 1954